Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) Shares Sold by Tocqueville Asset Management L.P.

Key Points

• Tocqueville Asset Management L.P. has reduced its holdings in Union Pacific Corporation by 8.2%, owning 43,894 shares worth approximately $10.37 million after selling 3,939 shares during the first quarter.
• Union Pacific recently announced a quarterly dividend increase to $1.38 per share, up from $1.34, yielding an annualized dividend of $5.52 at a payout ratio of 46.57%.
• The company's most recent quarterly earnings report showed an EPS of $3.03, exceeding estimates by $0.19, along with revenue of $6.15 billion, marking a year-over-year increase.

Tocqueville Asset Management L.P. reduced its holdings in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 8.2% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 43,894 shares of the railroad operator's stock after selling 3,939 shares during the quarter. Tocqueville Asset Management L.P.'s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $10,370,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of UNP. Nuveen LLC bought a new position in Union Pacific in the 1st quarter worth about $988,822,000. GAMMA Investing LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 27,502.8% in the first quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 2,491,151 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $588,510,000 after acquiring an additional 2,482,126 shares in the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 14.3% in the fourth quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 10,395,364 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $2,370,559,000 after acquiring an additional 1,298,178 shares in the last quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 35.2% in the fourth quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 4,968,658 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $1,133,053,000 after acquiring an additional 1,294,643 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Castlekeep Investment Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $273,361,000. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Union Pacific Price Performance

NYSE:UNP opened at $220.55 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $130.79 billion, a PE ratio of 19.16, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.14 and a beta of 1.05. Union Pacific Corporation has a 12 month low of $204.66 and a 12 month high of $258.07. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 0.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86. The company's 50-day moving average price is $227.06 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $229.43.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The railroad operator reported $3.03 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.84 by $0.19. Union Pacific had a net margin of 28.43% and a return on equity of 41.73%. The firm had revenue of $6.15 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.09 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.74 earnings per share. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 2.4% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 29th will be paid a $1.38 dividend. This is a boost from Union Pacific's previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 29th. Union Pacific's payout ratio is presently 46.57%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on UNP shares. Robert W. Baird started coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Tuesday, July 1st. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $231.00 price objective for the company. Raymond James Financial reiterated a "strong-buy" rating on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Tuesday, July 15th. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of Union Pacific from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and increased their price objective for the company from $250.00 to $285.00 in a report on Friday, July 25th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $250.00 to $260.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Friday, July 25th. Finally, Baird R W upgraded shares of Union Pacific to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, July 1st. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have issued a hold rating, fourteen have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $258.21.

Union Pacific Company Profile

Union Pacific Corporation, through its subsidiary, Union Pacific Railroad Company, operates in the railroad business in the United States. The company offers transportation services for grain and grain products, fertilizers, food and refrigerated products, and coal and renewables to grain processors, animal feeders, ethanol producers, renewable biofuel producers, and other agricultural users; and construction products, industrial chemicals, plastics, forest products, specialized products, metals and ores, petroleum, liquid petroleum gases, soda ash, and sand, as well as finished automobiles, automotive parts, and merchandise in intermodal containers.

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